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Exclusive| Udit Narayan on Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela’s viral comeback: 'Feels like a new generation has found this song…'
Udit Narayan opens up on the track ruling charts again after its use in The Ba***ds of Bollywood, and why melody ensures his songs resonate across generations.
Popular playback singer Udit Narayan is soaking in a new wave of love as Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela, the chartbuster he sang for the 1997 thriller Gupt, is back in the spotlight. More than two decades after its release, the track has become a viral sensation again, thanks to its use in the climax of Netflix’s The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
“I always believed this song had something timeless about it. Seeing it come alive again after so many years feels very special,” he told us.
The impact has been staggering. Within days of the show’s release on September 18, the original video of the song clocked over 5 million new views on YouTube, while streams surged across platforms like Spotify and Instagram, where countless reels and edits feature the track.
For Udit, who originally sang the Viju Shah composition picturised on Bobby Deol, the revival is a reminder of music’s lasting power. “The melody and the lyrics are the biggest reason why this song still connects. It’s amasing to see that the new generation is loving it — it feels like they have discovered this song all over again,” he said.
He admits that seeing youngsters make reels and dances on the number gives him satisfaction about his initial instincts. “I feel very happy when I see so many reels being made on this song. People are dancing, lip-syncing, enjoying it in their own way — it shows that good music never gets old,” adds Udit.
The 69-year-old points out that this isn’t an isolated case. “Songs like Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam and Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast are also doing very well again. I think it all comes down to melody. That’s what stays, across time and across generations of listeners,” he said.
Calling Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela a “good song for aspiring lovers,” Udit believes the lyrics make it especially relatable. He also reflected on his own journey with the track: “When I was recording it, there was so much energy in the studio, and I could feel this song would be special. I didn’t know how big it would get, but I knew it carried something unique.”
When Gupt released in July 1997, the film’s soundtrack became a runaway success. Today, nearly three decades later, the fact that its songs still dominate charts is proof, as Udit puts it, that “good melody never dies.”
